Automatic sugar bowl



p 1953 c. B. STOKER 2,653,734

AUTOMATIC SUGAR BOWL.

Filed Aug. 1, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR CURTIS B. STOKER ATTORNEYSp 29, 1953 c. B. STOKER 2,653,734

AUTOMATIC SUGAR BOWL Filed Aug. 1, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5. 30

/7 34 4/ .8 INVENTOR CURTIS B. STOKER sym'mi- 9,

ATTORNE Y5 Patented Sept. 29, .1953

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC SUGAR BOWL Curtis B. Stoker,Shreveport, La.

Application August 1, 1951, Serial No. 239,751

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in an automatic sugar bowland has for an object to provide equipment associated with a sugarcontainer for dispensing the sugar in an automatic manner and inquantities which may be measured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compact unitarydispensing device incorporated in the lower portion of the sugar bowlfor controlling the delivery of the sugar crystals to a suitablereceptacle which may be placed beneath a delivery opening of the device.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved dispensingdevice for sugar bowls which will avoid waste of the sugar and promoteeconomy and sanitation in the use of the device in that the sugar doesnot come in contact with the hands of the operator and hence the generalhealth of users of the device and consumers of the sugar is promotedwhich is important in dispensing sugar in restaurants and institutions.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a dispensingdevice which is unique in operation and in which the parts are notexposed but are concealed so that the device does not detract from theappearance of the sugar bowl on the table.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improvedautomatic sugar bowl in which duplex springs angularly related to oneanother operate upon portions of a bendable thrust rod for the purposeof locally shifting such rod in one direction with complete avoidance ofany binding of the rod in negotiating its curved path of movement.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be morefully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed outin the claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein the symbols refer to like or correspondingparts throughout the several views,

Figure l is a perspective view of an automatic sugar bowl constructed inaccordance with the present invention with the cover shown removed andelevated above the top of the bowl with a receptacle shown in dottedlines for receiving sugar dispensed by the bowl.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on an enlarged scale on the line 22of Figure 1 and showing the parts in a sugar delivery position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on an enlarged scale onthe line 3-3 of Figure 1, but with the cover in place.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 4-4 ofFigure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to Figure 2 but withthe parts in a sugar receiving position,

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 6-6 inFigure 5 and somewhat magmfied.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal fragmentary section taken on the line 1-1 ofFigure 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the dispensing unit apart from thesugar bowl, and

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view, with parts brokenaway and parts shown in section and with the parts shown in sugarreceiving position.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, [0 designates a sugar bowlof desired configuration forming a container for sugar, said body orcontainer being supported upon a base H and preferably having twohandles l2 at diametrically opposite sides thereof.

A screw or other cover or cap I3 removably encloses the container, andsuch cap is preferably constructed to receive a screw threaded or otherremovable cartridge or unit I4 containing silica jel or some othermaterial having high moisture absorptive qualities whereby the sugarcrystals in the bowl or container may be maintained in a dry conditionfor free flowing to the bottom outlet opening I 5.

The lower portion of the body I0 is formed with a horizontal recess l6into which a dispensing unit is removably introduced. An outerstationary tube I1 is a part of this unit, such tube having an upperport l8 registering with the outlet l5, and a lower discharge port l9displaced axially of the tube 11.

The body [0 is provided with longitudinally extending channels 20 at thesides of the recess I6 to receive ribs 2| on the outer tube I! toprevent rotation of the tube IT. The outer end of the tube I1 is closedby an imperforate head 22 while the inner end of such tube is closed byan inner head 23 having a perforation 24.

The plunger 25 is mounted to reciprocate in the tube [1. This plungermay be of suitable construction. For instance, it may have an outer head26, an inner head 21 and a partition or wall 28 defining with the outerhead 26 a measuring or dispensing chamber 29 open at its top and bottomportions as indicated at 30 and 3|. The opening 30 is adapted toregister with the outlet l5 and port 18, while the lower opening 3|registers in the outer position of the plunger with the bottom port l9.

Channels 32 may be formed in the ribs 2| to receive ribs 33 on theplunger 25 to avoid rotation of the plunger within the tube 11.

The inner end of the plunger 25 may be connected to a thrust head 34 asby screws 35 or other fastenings. As shown in Figure 9, the thrust head34 is equipped with peripherally extending lugs or ribs 36 slidable inthe channels 32 to prevent rotation of such thrust head 34.

A bendable thrust rod 31 is aflixed to the thrust head 34 as by welding38 or the like. The thrust rod 3! slides through an aperture 39 in afixed abutment 49 secured as by welding 4| to the outer tube H. A disc42 is slidably mounted in the outer tube I! in spaced relation to theabutment 40, such disc 42 being afiixed to the thrust rod 31 as by thewelding 43 or otherwise. Lugs or ribs 44 on the slidable disc 42 aredisposed in the channels 32 to avoid rotation of the disc 42. A coilspring 45 is wound in an appropriate number of convolutions about thethrust rod 31 between the stationary abutment 4i] and the slidable disc42, such spring helix being housed within the outer tube or casing 11.

All of these parts are mounted in the tube or casing ll and constitute aunitary device which may be removably held in the recess [6 as by ascrew 46, the head of which is protected within a countersunk notch 4'!of the body [0. At the opposite end, the recess I6 is open at 48 throughthe side wall of the body I G to permit of the insertion and removal ofthe dispensing unit. This open mouth 48 is preferably arranged at thebase of one handle I: at the point where the handle merges with the body10.

The opposite handle [2 is hollow or provided with a channel 49, whichchannel communicates at its lower end with the inner end of the recessI6 in alignment with the aperture 24 in the inner tube head 23. Thethrust rod 31 is slidable through this aperture 24, and in the channel48 of the handle, such channel being curved in conformity with thecurvature of the handle, the thrust rod 3! being of bendable or flexiblematerial accommodating itself readily to the curvature of the handle.

In the channel 49 near the upper portion of the handle is a shoulder 50against which engages a stationary abutment head through which the rod31 freely slides. The lower end of a spring helix 52 engages against theabutment head 5|, while the upper end of such spring is engaged by aslidable disc 53 welded or otherwise fastened to the thrust rod 31 asindicated at 54.

The upper end of the thrust rod 31 is provided with a button or fingerpiece 55 mounted in a recess 56 at the upper end of the handle, whichrecess is open at its top and outer side for the accommodation of afinger or thumb of the operator in engaging and depressing the button55. The upper end of the channel 49 may be removably closed by a screwplug 51 through which the thrust rod 3'! slides.

In operation, the two springs 45 and 52 tend to shift the plunger 25 tothe position shown in Figures 5 and 9 in which the measuring ordispensing chamber 29 is in position to receive a supply of the sugarcrystals from the container. In this position the bottom opening 3! ofthe chamber 29 is closed by the lower blank wall of the outer tube ll.

Whenever a charge of sugar is required, the channeled handle I2 isgrasped with the thumb in engagement with the operating button 55, thethumb being employed to depress the button from the dotted line positionin Figure 2 to the full line position causing the thrust rod 31 tocompress the springs 45 and 52 and to shift the plunger 25 to theposition of Figure 2 where the measuring or dispensing chamber 29 nowregisters with the bottom outlet port l9. As shown in Figure 1, areceptacle in dotted lines is indicated below the discharge port IQ forreceiving the supply of sugar. By repetitive operation of the button 55,

.4 as many charges of sugar as desired may be delivered to thereceptacle. Inasmuch as the chamber 29 may be pro-selected to contain adesired volume, the amount of sugar delivered to the receptacle may benicely regulated and determined.

When the button 55 is depressed, the thrust rod 31 is shifted downwardlyin the channel 49 and forwardly in the tube I l carrying with it theslidable discs 53 and 42. At the same time, the abutments 5| and 40remain stationary so that the springs 52 and 45 are compressed. When thebutton 55 is subsequently released, the springs 45, 52 will expand tothe positions of Figures 5, 8 and 9, thus restoring the plunger 25 tothe inner or sugar receiving position.

Although I have disclosed herein the best form of the invention known tome at this time, I reserve the right to all such modifications andchanges as may come within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

I. An automatic sugar bowl comprising a container for sugar having abottom outlet and a recess communicating with the outlet, a hollowhandle forming a continuation of the recess, a tube in the recess havinga top port registering with the outlet and a bottom discharge portaxially displaced from the top port, a plunger slidably mounted in thetube having a measuring chamber open at top and bottom movable betweensaid ports for receiving and discharging sugar, a thrust rod fixed atone end to said plunger and slidable through said tube and hollowhandle, means to manually move said thrust rod in one direction to movesaid plunger to a sugar discharging position, a spring in said tube andoperatively connected to said thrust rod adjacent one end thereof so asto exert a pushing force on said thrust rod to move it in the oppositedirection to move the plunger to its sugar receiving portion, and asecond spring in said handle and operatively connected to said thrustrod adjacent the opposite end thereof so as to exert a pulling force onsaid thrust rod to move it in said opposite direction.

2. An automatic sugar bowl comprising a container for sugar having abottom outlet and a recess communicating with the outlet, said recesshaving a discharge outlet axially displaced from said bottom outlet, ahandle having a channel therethrough forming a continuation of therecess, said handle and channel being curved and having a bend therein,a plunger slidably mounted in the recess having a measuring chamber openat top and bottom movable between said outlets for receiving anddischarging sugar, a bendable thrust rod fixed at one end to saidplunger and slidable through said recess and said channel, means to movesaid thrust rod in one direction to move said plunger to a sugardischarging position, resilient means in said recess at one side of thebend in said channel for moving said thrust rod in the oppositedirection to move the plunger to a sugar receiving position, andresilient means in said channel at the opposite side of the bend in thechannel for moving said thrust rod in said opposite direction.

3. An automatic sugar bowl comprising a container for sugar having abottom outlet and a recess communicating with the outlet, a hollowhandle forming a continuation of the recess, a tube in the recess havinga top port registering with the outlet and a bottom discharge portaxially displaced from the top port, a plunger slidably mounted in thetube having a measuring chamber open at top and bottom movable betweensaid port for receiving and discharging sugar, a thrust rod fixed at oneend to said plunger and slidable through said tube and hollow handle, anabutment fixed in the tube, a disc in the tube fixed to said rod inspaced relation to said abutment, a spring embracing said rod within thetube and having its opposite ends engaging said abutment and disc, anabutment head fixed in said hollow handle, a member in said hollowhandle fixed to said rod in spaced relation to said head, and a springembracing said rod Within the hollow handle and having its opposite endsengaging said head and member.

4. An automatic sugar bowl comprising a container for sugar having abottom outlet and a recess communicating with the outlet, said recessbeing substantially circular in cross section, and a unitary dispensingdevice fitted in said recess comprising a fixed tube having a top portregistering with the outlet and a bottom discharge port offset laterallyfrom the top port, a plunger slidably mounted in the tube having ameasuring chamber open at top and bottom movable between said ports forreceiving and discharging sugar, means for biasing said plunger to asugar receiving position, means to manually move said plunger to a sugardischarging position, said tube and plunger being substantially circularin cross section, angularly spaced apart ribs on the outer surface ofsaid tube, the walls of said recess having channels for receiving saidribs to prevent rotation of said tube, angularly spaced apart ribs onthe outer surface of said plunger, said tube having channels on itsinner surface for receiving the ribs on said plunger to prevent rotationof the plunger, said recess at one end opening through one side of thecontainer, and means for retaining the dispensing device in said recess.

CURTIS B. STOKER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,002,150 Henriquez Aug. 29, 1911 2,317,882 Boesel Apr. 27,1943

